By Wes Bloomquist || wes.bloomquist@angelo.eduÂ
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The Angelo State soccer team established another all-time program record by winning its 14th game of the season and extended the all-time single-season shutout record by earning a 2-0 non-conference win over Southwestern Oklahoma with goals from
Kathleen Keoughan and
Selena Alvarez on Sunday in the team's regular-season finale.
Angelo State finishes second in the Lone Star Conference standings following a 1-0 win by Texas A&M-Commerce over Eastern New Mexico on Sunday in Portales, New Mexico, and will be the No. 2 seed in next week's tournament in Commerce. The Rambelles will play ENMU in the semifinals of the tournament on Friday, while A&M-Commerce plays Midwestern State in the other semifinal. Â
"I'm proud of how the team has continued to seek out new goals," ASU head coach
Travis McCorkle said. "Whether it's setting records for game shutouts, total wins in a season or consecutive shut-out minutes, they are all great accomplishments for the soccer program. There are still more things out there for us to accomplish. The season can continue for us as long as we continue to work, play smart and utilize the strengths we have. Our mindset going into the conference tournament is about continuing the good things we already do and improving in areas where we can. We want to throw everything we have at each team we play from here on out. We've played each team twice, so everyone will be familiar with each other."
The Rambelles (14-3-1) improved to 8-0 in non-conference games this season where they outscored non-LSC opponents 33-3 this season and enter the postseason on a four-game winning streak after earning their 12th shutout of the season. ASU completed the regular season with the program's record for wins, the program's record for shutouts and has outscored its opponents 43-10 throughout the year.
ASU's two-goal win over SWOSU (2-13-3) was the 10th game this season where the Rambelles won by two goals or more and it was their third straight shutout.
Keoughan scored her second goal of the season and the fifth of her career on a free kick from 25 yards out in the 53rd minute of play to break a scoreless game. Keoughan's kick went into the upper right-hand corner of the goal to give the Rambelles the 1-0 lead. Alvarez also scored her second goal of the season in the game when she found the back of the net after a penalty kick. The goal was the eighth of her career after she had seven goals last season as a sophomore and one during her freshman season.
Shantel Wittke and
Natalie Nielsen teamed up in goal to secure the shutout with Wittke playing 85 minutes and Nielsen playing the final five minutes. The game's stats tell a story of defensive excellence for the Rambelles, who did not allow the Bulldogs a single shot on goal during Wittke's 85 minutes of play. SWOSU managed one shot in the final five minutes, but Nielsen was there to record the only save of the game.
ASU finished with a 12-5 overall shot advantage and a 5-1 shots on goal margin.
Ashley Exford led the Rambelles with three shots (two on goal), while Haley Mendiel had two shots and
Sierra Anderson, Keoughan,
Tiffany Dang,
Dakota Briseno, Alvarez,
Morgan Sibson and
Brianne Brown each had one shot. After a scoreless first 45 minutes of play, the Rambelles continuously put pressure on their opponent in the second half with nine second-half shots to only three in the first half. ASU also had a 6-1 corner-kick advantage at the end of the game.
"KK scored a great free-kick goal to get us started and then Selena was active with a scramble in the penalty area to score our second goal," McCorkle said. "I thought
Ashley Exford was especially good today as well. She helped win the ball and start numerous counter attacks."
